The present invention relates generally to improvements in foldable implement frames and hitches, and specifically to improvements in the foldable implement frame disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,581, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Implement frames and hitches are used to carry a wide variety of implements such as an air-injection planter for corn and other hard kernel grains, rotary hoes, xe2x80x9cduck-footxe2x80x9d field cultivators, and the like. It is desirable that such implement frames have a wide span in the work position thereof so that a plurality of rows of crops can be simultaneously cultivated during a single pass. However, when it is time to transport the implement frame from field to field or along a highway, it is desirable that the horizontal extent of the implement frame be small so as to negotiate gates, highway lanes and the like with ease.
One form of standard practice heretofore has been to make the implement frame foldable between an extended working position and a retracted transport position with the addition of transport wheels when the parts are in the transport position. The closest prior art is my previous U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,581. Other patents owned by Kinze Mfg. Co. and John Deere were cited during the prosecution of my prior patent and are generally relevant to this invention. For the most part, the planter of the present invention operates similarly to that described in my prior patent. That machine hereafter the ""581 machine, was entirely satisfactory for its intended purposes; however, there always is room for improvement. Where possible, I have used the same reference numerals to refer to the same or similar parts in this application as compared to U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,851.
One area for improvement of the ""581 machine was the overall width of the transport wheels 115. By that I mean the distance between the center lines of the outboard wheels 115 was about 120 inches and distance between the center lines of the inboard wheels 115 in the ""581 machine was about 60 inches. This distance is slightly greater than the available roadway on an ordinary two lane road of the type farmers trail equipment of the type represented by the ""581 machine. The result of this is that at least one of the support wheels 115 is frequently off the road surface on the shoulder, which often is unpaved.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a narrower trailing width for the present machine compared to the ""581 machine to permit the wheels supporting the machine to be on the pavement.
Another area for improvement of the ""581 machine was the strength of the wing frames 190. Particularly when 24 row units were employed with the ""581 machine or the 32 or more row units on the present machine, the draft forces on the wing frames can be so large that damage can occur. Particularly, cracking of the wing frames 190 near the pivot point to hinge member 181 sometimes occurred.
Accordingly, its is another object of the invention to provide stiffening members for the wing frames in a forward folding planter to prevent or significantly reduce wing frame or hinge member cracking.
Another area for improvement in the ""581 machine was the configuration of the wing braces 220 in the folded or transport position which prevented mounting fertilizing or tillage units forward of the wing frames 190, all planter units 60 (see ""581 patent) being mounted aft of the wing frame 190.
Accordingly, another object of this invention is to provide a forward folding planter which accommodates planter units aft of the wing frames and planter, fertilizer or tillage units forward of the wing frames, even with the extra strengthening required by newer and larger machines accommodating 32, 36 or more planting units.
Another area of improvement of the ""581 machine was the center of gravity of the ""581 machine tended to be too far aft of the hitch when the frame was folded forward in the transport position, resulting in lifting forces on the front of the draft vehicle. The placement of the center of gravity of the ""581 machine away from the hitch 165 also made difficult using 32 or more planting units because the weight of the large number of units tended to lift the front of the draft vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to move the center of gravity of the planter forward toward the hitch when the frame is in the folded or transport position to maintain more weight on the front of the draft vehicle or less weight on the rear, thereby enabling larger frames with more planting units to be used.
Another area in which the ""581 machine could be improved is the time it takes to turn the machine at the end of a row. In the ""581 machine the transport wheels also were the center field wheels. In order to obtain sufficient road clearance during transport, the frame had to be elevated a certain height above the ground, which was accomplished by extending the distance the hydraulic piston rods extended to elevate the frame. This caused the frame to elevate to transport height at the end of each row (to disengage the farm implements from the ground) when the ""581 machine was turned to begin a new row, resulting in time delays.
A still further object of the present invention is to decrease the height to which the frame is elevated when the machine is turned to enable to the present machine to be turned more quickly saving the farmer time in the field.
A further area of improvement in the ""581 machine was the rather complicated mechanism required to lock the center field wheels into the transport position while the wing wheels were retracted to a transport position.
Yet another object of the present invention is to simplify the mechanism required to move the transport wheels between a transport position and a stored position.
Another object of the present invention is to improve the ""581 machine by making it stronger, safer in transport, more versatile, simpler and faster to operate while retaining the beneficial features thereof. These and other objects are obtained by employing dedicated transport wheels located forward and inboard of the ""581 transport wheels; by utilizing newly designed offset brackets to carry new strengthening and stiffening members while positioning the wing braces beneath the main frame when the wing frames are in a folded position enabling use of planting, fertilizer or cultivation units forward of the wing frames.
Further features of the invention pertain to the particular arrangement of the parts of the foldable implement frame and hitch, whereby the above outlined and additional operating features thereof are attained.
The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further features and advantages thereof will best be understood with reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.